Hickey on leave as election looms

HOBART Lord Mayor Sue Hickey will take a leave of absence and will not attend this month’s council meeting as opponents say she is already campaigning for the Liberal Party ahead of the state election.

During the past week a Tasmanian Liberals’ vote for Sue Hickey billboard has popped up at North Hobart, while taxi and bus advertisements have also been seen around the city.

Alderman Hickey’s opponents in Denison and within the council have both jumped on the emergence of the ads, saying she is using her high-profile position to further her bid to get elected.

Labor Denison MHA Madeleine Ogilvie — who last month called on Ald Hickey to follow the lead of Burnie Mayor Anita Dow and resign from her position if she was to campaign — said she had to stand aside.

“Sue Hickey is campaigning as a Liberal candidate, with her election advertising emblazoned across vehicles, while simultaneously seeking to engage with Labor in her capacity as Lord Mayor of Hobart. It is odd that she continues to ignore the very real conflict of interest this presents,” she said.

“How can the ratepayers of Hobart have any confidence that the meetings over which she seeks to preside are able to address matters in a nonpartisan manner?”

Ald Hickey — who is on a leave of absence from her position because of a family issue — has said she would not resign before March 7 to save Hobart a $150,000 by-election.

She said she was originally going to return for the January 22 meeting and seek a formal leave of absence, but she would now take leave and not attend it.

But Ald Hickey will not withdraw from the Lord Mayor position because it would spark the by-election.

“This is mischief and typical of election time when your enemies just try to dig up the tiniest thing,” she said.

Hobart alderman Marti Zucco said Ald Hickey should withdraw from the position until the election was over — or not accept the Lord Mayor allowances or donate them to a charity.

“I’m not advocating that Sue Hickey take leave as an alderman, I believe that component is acceptable but, as the person who was elected as the Lord Mayor of Hobart, remaining in that position is a clear breach of what her priorities are for Hobart,” he said.

“The electors of Hobart elected Sue Hickey to lead them, not to use the role to campaign for higher office.”

Ald Peter Sexton said people were increasingly telling him they thought Ald Hickey was on the campaign trail.

“The Lord Mayor did make it clear that she did intend to take a leave of absence, she must make it clear exactly what she is doing,” he said.

Ald Philip Cocker said he believed Ald Hickey was doing the right thing by taking leave.

“If she was not taking leave, I would say it’s concerning,” he said.

Ald Eva Ruzicka said because there was no mention of the Lord Mayor of Hobart position in the advertisements she had no problem with them.

Deputy Ron Christie said he would keep everything running as usual as Acting Lord Mayor.

“As far as I’m concerned, she has done the right thing,” he said.

Ald Hickey isn’t the only Hobart alderman running for the state election, Ald Helen Burnet has been endorsed by the Greens for Denison.

This is mischief and typical of election time when your enemies just try to dig up the tiniest thing SUE HICKEY